Method and apparatus for making filament mounts



July 13, 1954 J, FLAWS, JR, ETAL METHOD AND. APPARATUS FOR MAKING FILAMENT MOUNTS 1 MH a nn e m sdoflm S w lnw .r O -T O m $2M w n A 4 e wc Vn Tmmh w d T Filed March 31, 1950' July 13, 1954 J, FLAWS, JR, ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING FILAMENT MOUNTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 51. 1950 mm 3% m s wwM/w mwAK n .W vmw h e U M Uu b a w July 13, 1954 J, FLAWS, JR., ETAL 2,683,473

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING FILAMENT MOUNTS John FLaw's Jr, John Amt-hens, b8 wf' Their A=tkor-ne9 July 13, 1954 J. FLAws, JR., ET AL METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING FILAMENT MOUNTS Filed March 31, 1950 4 Sheets Sheet 4 lnven lrovs John FLaws drz, John W. An thema, b M6. mafia Their" Akkor-nea Patented July 13, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE METHOD AND'APPARATUS FOR MAKING FILAMENT MOUNTS New York Application March 31, 1950, Serial No. 153,076

8 Claims.

Qur invention relatesto apparatus for making filament mounts for incandescent lamps and the like. More particular1y,'our invention relates to apparatus especially suited to the automatic manufacture of small and very compact filament mounts.

Heretofore, the manufacture of certain very complex and compact filament mounts for small multiple or higher voltage incandescent lamps used. for night-lights, Christmas tree decorations, etc. has been restricted to manual filament mounting operations. This manner of operation was necessitated. because of the difiiculty of draping a relatively long coiled filament over support wires at offset relations to each otherand of attaching said filament to leading-in wires offset from adjacent support wires. The size of the mount also contributes to the difficulty off-manufacture in that the smaller mounts do not have sufiicient clear space in the region of the support and leading-in wires to accommodate automatic apparatus.

One object of our invention is to provide apparatus for manufacturing filament mounts for lamps which apparatus are particularly adapted to make a mount having a relatively long filament attached to support and leading-in wires at alternately offset positions. By attaining this object, the economies and uniformity of machine manufacture are recovered and much greater speeds of production are available.

Another object of our invention is toprovide an automatic means for forming concentrated filament mounts for lamps by first manufacturing a relatively large and widely spread mount, and. then reforming said mount to the desired shape. The means of our invention permits the use of existing well developed apparatus in the initial steps of forming the mount and provides for the reshaping of said mount by operations capable of being performed by mechanical means. The first steps in the manufacture provide for the construction of a mount comprising a supporting body, in the form of a vitreous stem,

and of leading-in and support wires retained by said stem and extending outwardly therefrom with their free ends engaging spaced portionsof a filament located beyond the end of the stem. Succeeding reforming steps of the manufacture bend the leading-in Wires-and the-support wires of the mount so that the free endsthereof supporting the various portions of the filament are relocated at different positions relative to the stem. The reforming steps provide'for the manufacture of one form of mount, for example, by

bending the outwardly extending ends of the leading-in wires and certain support wires to positions nearer the stem and by so doing position the filament nearer to and around at least a part of said stem. The arrangement of the lead ing-in and support wires is such that the free ends of alternate wires around the stem are offset longitudinally from each other relative to the stem and the filament accordingly has a zigzag final form.

Still another object of our invention is to provide meansfor bending a fold or so-called loopback section in the leading-in and support wires of a mount so as to reduce the effective length of said wires and position the connected portions of the filament nearer the stem. The above operations are performed without injury to the file,- ment and are particularly adapted to develop the compact mount forms necessary for insertion into small size bulbs and bulbs having small necks. The fold or loop-back bend is made in the leading-iii and support wires by forming a bend in the portions thereof adjacent the stem and in intermediate portions thereof, the operations being performed in such a manner that the extending ends of the leading-in and support wires are properly relocated.

Another object of our invention is to provide apparatus for completing a mount for a lamp in the manner hereinbefore referred to, which apparatus is comprised of a plurality of devices located at separate work stations to which the mount is advanced in turn. A carrier or turret having an indexing motion is used to advance the mount to the work stations, and cams on a main drive shaft are used to actuate each of the d vices in synchronism with the advance of the mount. The present invention constitutes a fur ther improvement in machines for automatically making mounts for high voltage electric lamps of small size and special service. Such apparatus provides for the complete automa ic manufacture of the mount ready for use and insertion in such lamps.

till other objects and advantages of our invention will appear in the following detailed disclosure which refers in particular to the specie of apparatus appearing in the drawing.

In thedrawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a lamp making machine including the apparatus of our invention, which portion cornprises a carrier for advancing a lamp mount to aseries of work stations A, B, C, and D and apparatus permanently located at said Work stations Fig. 2 is a group of live perspective views a,

b, c, d, and e on an enlarged scale (several times larger than actual size) of a lamp mount during various steps in the reformation thereof by our apparatus; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the support wire repositioning device occupying the second work station E; Fig. 4 is a partially exploded perspective view of the leading-in wire reforming device located at the third work station C; Fig. 5 is an elevation of the opposite side of the leading-in wire reforming device shown in Fig. 4; Figs. 6 and '7 are fragmentary sections on a large scale through a portion of the leading-in wire reforming device in the course of two successive steps in the bending of a leading-in wire of a mount; Fig. 8 is a vertical section through the center of the upper portion of the support wire reforming device occupying work station D, which section is taken in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the mount; Fig. 9 is a partially exploded view of the support wire reforming device; Fig. '10 is a fragmentary plan view on a large scale of the bending and clamping jaws of the support wire reforming device at the start of their advance toward the mount; Figs. 11 and 12 are fragmentary sections on a large scale of the means shown in Fig. in succeeding steps in the operation thereof; and Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the drive shaft and associated actuating means for the devices of the invention.

The manufacture of a mount in accordance with the invention provides, first, for the incorporation of the various elements thereof into a uniform and readily obtainable mount assembly, and then the reformation or reshaping of the assembly into a mount of the complex character and much reduced spread desired. The first steps in the method are preferably performed in one of the various forms of lamp making apparatus presently in use; whereas, the reforming steps in the method preferably occur in apparatus such as that disclosed in the drawing and, as will be described in connection therewith, are comprised of separate steps occurring at a succession of Work stations A, B, C, and D in said apparatus. The lamp mount I manufactured during the first part of the method is advanced to each of the work stations A, B, C, and D, in turn, by a head 2 attached to the periphery of a carrier or turret 3 (only partially shown herein) and is successively operated upon by the various devices, comprising the reforming apparatus, which are permanently mounted upon a table l located below the course of travel thereof. Periodic indexing movements occurring in the turret 3 under the influence of means (not shown) actuated by the rotation of a drive shaft 5 under the adjacent center portion of the turret 3 and said table 4 cause the heads 2 to be advanced at regular intervals and other means associated with the devices at each station and the drive shaft 5 to provide for the actuation of each of the devices. The manner of dividing the mountmaking operations into steps performed at separate work stations, and the use of apparatus comprising a carrier for advancing the mount and separate work devices, all of which are actuated by a common source, corresponds to usual lamp making practice and is particularly de sirable in that it allows the apparatus of the present invention to be readily incorporated with other lamp making procedures and apparatus. The disclosed apparatus can, for instance, be used with the mount-making apparatus of United States Patent 1,907,532-F1aws. dated May 9,

1933, which apparatus has the same arrangement of means. The apparatus of the present invention is arranged so that the work stations A, B, C, and D follow those occupied by the prior patented mount-making apparatus and in the form shown in the drawing is constructed and arranged in a manner best suited to reform the type lamp mount made by said apparatus.

The lamp mount l at the time of its arrange ment at work station A of the disclosed apparatus appears as shown at a in Fig. 2 and comprises a main supporting body, the tipless type stem tube 6; the exhaust tube l; the current conductors, the leading-in wires 8 and $3; the stem arbor ID, the support wires H, 42, and i3; and the U-shaped coiled filament It. The lamp mount I is held in the apparatus with the filament [4 lowermost. The filament has opposite ends clamped in hooks in the free ends of the leading-in wires 8 and 9 and is supported at spaced intermediate points by the free of support wires ll, l2, and it. The mount l is of relatively open construction with said filament M located in a transverse plane beyond the end of the stem tube 6 and arbor iii. This particular filament mount l is that made by the apparatus disclosed in Patent No. 1,907,532-Flaws, and illustrates the general type of filament mount suitable to reformation by our apparatus. However, our invention is not restricted to a filament mount l of this exact construction, size, shape, or proportions. The filament it of the mount l extends laterally thereof an amount permitting its use in many lamps but is so large as to prevent its insertion into and operation in the smaller size bulbs of many low wattage night-light and decorative types of lamps.

Reformation or reshaping of the mount l is initiated by repositioning the leading-in wires I 8 and 9 in the manner shown at b in Fig. 2, an

operation which is effected by the leading-in wire repositioning device 15 at work station A. The ends of the leading-in wires 8 and t are bent around to positions closer to each other by the closing movement of two anvils i6 and I! (indicated in Fig. 2) toward the stationary anvil I8 and take positions causing the filament I4 to be pulled taut around the support wires ll, l2, and 13. The following step in the reshaping of the mount I takes place at work station B, the next taken in the order of movement of the mount l, and consists in bending the extending looped-ends of the outer support wires II and l3 around to positions at opposite sides of the mount l and in a plane through the axis thereof. This bending operation also positions the looped-ends of the support wires ii and I3 closer to the arbor Ill. The bending operation, which is performed by the support wire repositioning device as (Figs. 1 and 3) moves the support wires H and I3 from positions at of either side of support wire 12 to positions therefrom and by so doing reduces the spread of the mount and the filament Hi which again be comes loosely held as shown at c', Fig. 2. The succeeding operations of the method occur at work station C and consist of operations per-- formed by the leading-in wire reforming device 2| which bends the ends of the leading-in wires 8 and 9 clamped to the filament as upward and inward (d, Fig. 2) to the elevation of a horizontal plane through the end button on the arbor Ill and to positions closer to the longitudinal center or axis of the mount l. These operations which are performed by means moving upward against intermediate portions of the wires 8 and a make a so-called loop-back bend in each leading-in wire 8, 9 and considerably reduce the spread of the filament mount I in the plane perpendicular to that of the Support wires I I and I3. The filament I 4 is still loosely held in the mount I as the ends of the leading-in wires 8 and 5 are still at substantially the same distance from the loops in the support wires I I and I3.

' The final shaping of the mount takes place at work station D where the support wire reforming device 22 causes an intermediate portion of the support wire I2 to be pushed upward so that the looped end thereof is bent upward and inward toward the end of the arbor It. The mount I is further reduced in spread by this operation and the filament Hi is placed under moderate tension. The mount I then appears as shown at c, Fig. 2, and is in a compact form well suited to eificient operation in lamps for many practical purposes. A one-third reduction occurs in the spread of the mount in the course of the abovedesoribed operations and said mount I is now of equal width and breadth. The illustrated mount I has only inch spread and, accordingly, would be difficult to manufacture on a commercial scale by other means.

In order to present the full details of the aboveoutlined method and apparatus, reference is made to the Patent No. 1,907,532; dated May 9, 1933', which is also assigned to the assignee of the present invention, for the constructional details of means, herein represented by the head 2, for holding and advancing the mount I to each of the work stations. The heads 2,- illustrated, are mounted at regularly spaced locations about the periphery of a turret 3 and are advanced successively to work stations, among which are work stations A B, C, and D, about said turret 3 by rotative indexing movements therein by an actuating means presently represented by the drive shaft 5. The manner of holding the heads 2 and of advancing them under influence of a single constantly rotating driving means corresponds to that of the above-mentioned patent and other A lamp-making apparatus. Each head 2 is particularly adapted to support a single mount I similar to that shown at a, Fig. 2, and holds said mount I in a vertical position with theend portion including the filament I4 lowermost and at a definite height above the surface of a table 4 located below the turret 3. At the time of the advance of the head 2 to work station A, the first occupied by the apparatus shown, the coiled filament It is held in a bowed or U form through the engagement of the leading-in wires 8 and 9 with the ends thereof and the engagement of the support wires II, I2, and I3 with intermediate portions thereof. The curved midportion of the filament I4 is retained by large loops in the support wires II, I2, and I3 which radiate from the side of the arbor II} opposite the periphery of the turret 3 at a spacing of 55. The leading-in wires 8 and 9 are at the opposite side of the mount I and are spaced an amount best suited to the operation of the filament mounting apparatus.

The arrangement of the mount I at work station A positions it directly above the leadingin wire repositioning device I5 which has a cycle of operation causing the anvils I6, I1, and I8 to close on the leading-in wires as indicated in Fig. 2. A device of this type is shown in detail in the above-mentioned Flaws Patent 1,907,532. wherein it is used for clamping the leadingf-in wire hooks securely about the ends of the filament. In the present application of said device, the anvil I8 is first caused to take a position between the leading-in wires 8 and 9 and then the anvils I6 and IT take a sweeping motion toward anvil I8 from opposite sides to carry the leads 8 and 9 against said anvil I8. The operation forces the leads 8' and 9 to positions closer together and in so doing causes sufficient cold working thereof to cause them to remain in substantially that position after the anvils IS, IT, and I8 Withdraw at the end'of the operative period. The leading-in wire repositioning device I5 is like all of the other devices of the apparatus operated by actuating means located below the table 13 and as shown in Fig. 13 is under control of the rotation of the cam 23 on the drive shaft 5. The lever 24 is rocked about a pivot 24 in accordance with radial changes in position of portions of a cam track 23 in the face of cam 23, which track 23' is engaged by a roller 23 on one of the arms of said lever 24, and transfers motion to the repositioning device i5 through the rod I5 in engagement with anothe arm of said lever 24.

Following the expiration of the interval during which the head 2 is located at station A, the index of the turret 3 advances the head 2 and mount I to work station E where the outer support wires I I and I3 are bent around toward the leads 8 and 9 by the support wire repositioning device it? (Figs. 1 and 3). The mount I advances to a position opposite the notched fingers 25, 2t, and 2'! of the repositioning device 28 which occupies a position to one side of the work sta-- tion and which is largely covered by the turret 3, The notched fingers 25, 2'6, and 2? at that time are tilted back from the position shown in Fig. 3 in that their supporting levers 28 and 2a, which are located upon opposite ends of a pivot pin 3Q carried by the standard 3E, are tipped backward against the normal contraction force of the springs 32 (only one being shown) by the pressure of the rollers 33. The operation of the device 26 begins with a forward movement of the fingers 25, 26, and 2'! influenced by motion of levers 28 and 29. The outer fingers 25 and 2? are attached to extensions 34 and 35 of respective levers 28 and 29 which are correspondingly shaped, whereas, the finger 26 is attached to an offset extension 38 on the back of lever 29. Motion is initiated by the upward travel of a block 3? on the upper end of the vertical operating rod 32 of the device which motion displaces the rollers 33 on opposite sides of said block 3"! correspondingly and thereby relieves the pressure of said rollers 33 against ears 39 (only one being shown) on levers 28 and 29 and allows the contraction force of corresponding springs 32 (only one shown) to tilt the levers 23 and 29. The fingers 25 and 21 have positions somewhat in advance of finger 26 and swing into engagement with the midportion of the support wires I I and it which bend at positions directly adjacent the arbor It). The bending operation effects both a sideward rearrangement of the support wires I! and It in the direction of movement of the fingers 25 and 2? and an inward rearrangement thereof which positions their ends closer together in that the notched ends of the fingers 25 and 21 are spaced closer together than the portions of the support wires II and I3 engaged thereby and said portions slide to the center of said notches during the bending operation. The intermediate finger 25 does not engage the support wire I2 until the bending operation is almost complete and has the function of holding and, if the support wire I2 is pulled out of position in the bending of support wires II and I3, of centering the support wire i2. The full movement of the bend-' ing fingers 25, 26, and 2! is complete when corresponding stop screws (like that shown at 40) on the lower ends of the levers 28 and 29 butt against the support tandard 3 l.

The operation interval of the support wire reposition device starts with the upward movement of the operating rod 38 and is terminated by the return downward movement thereof which again brings the rollers 53 against the ears on the levers 2B and 29 and swings the bending fingers 25, 2E, and 2'! out away from the support wires I l, i2, and it. In this interval the operating rod 38 is slid vertically in a bearing in the standard 5! and is capable of taking only vertical movement in that the block 3? on its upper end slides along a guide post 4! extending from the upper surface of the standard 3!. The ex tent and timing of the movement of the operating rod 38 is controlled by cam actuated means located below the table 4 and, as shown in Fig. 13, comprised of a driven shaft 5, a cam 42 and a lever 45, the latter under influence of said cam 42 and influencing the lower end of the operating rod 33. The driven shaft 5 is a part of the main operating means for the turret 3 and other apparatus (not shown) located at the work stations thereabout and has a rate of rotation completing one revolution during each index and rest period of said turret 3 and accordingly each index of the mount-carrying heads 2 in the manner of apparatus disclosed in detail in Flaws Patent 1,987,532 hereinbeforereferred to. An irregular track 14 in the face of the cam 42 is engaged by roller .5 on one end of the lever 43 and causes motion of said lever 43 about a pivot pin 46 on the stationary bracket il extending from the frame (not shown) of the machine on the basis of its position with respect to the center of the driven shaft 5.

The operations taking place at work station C, the next work station to which the mount i is advanced, are those of the leading-in wire reforming device 2! and reduce the lateral spread or maximum over-all or transverse dimension of the filament mount 1 in the plane of the leadingin wires 5 and 5 by relocating the extending ends thereof in engagement with the filament l 4 closer to the stem tube 5 and the arbor if! as shown at d in Fig. 2. The mount l is advanced to work station C at amoment when the upper portion of the reforming device 2! (Figs. 1, 4, and 5) is rocked back out of the path of travel from the mount l and is initiated to the first operations of said device Til when said device 25 is tilted back to the vertical position shown and operative relation thereto. The tilting operation carries corresponding wire bending or a-nvil jaws 43 and 49 (Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7) formed by the ends of the slides 50 and 55, respectively, at opposite sides of the upper platform 52 of the reforming device 2! into a vertical plane passing between the ends of the leading-in wires 8 and 9 and the support wires l! and it, as indicated by jaw 48 in Fig. 6, and also positions the wire-clamping jaws and 54 which are integral parts of slides 55 and 55, respectively, on the center portion of said upper platform 52 opposite intermediate portions of the leading-in wires 8 and 9, as indicated by jaw 53, Fig. 6. The upper platform 52, which is located upon two upstanding columns 5'? and 58 held by the opposite ends of a yoke Cir 59, is moved toward the mount I by the tilt effected in said columns 51 and 58 when said yoke 59 is turned about the studs (ill and GI on the opposite arms of the stationary bracket 62 and is moved under the influence of means engaging the lower end of the column 53 which passes through an opening in the table 4, the support for bracket 62. The extent of the tilting movement and, accordingly, the specific position taken by the device 21 is determined by the engagement of the center portion of the yoke 59 (Fig. 5) with the stop screw 53 on the bracket 62.

The arrangement of the device 2| at operative relation to the mount l, as effected by the tilting movement thereof, as well as all other operative functions of said device 2! are under control of means actuated by the driven shaft 5 and cams located thereon. In the presently considered instance having to do with the tilting movement of the device 2 I ,motion resultsfrom changes in shape of the cam 64 passing into engagement with a roller 55 on one end of the lever 55 and is transferred from said lever 65 to the coupling 5? on the lower end of the column 53 by the tie rod 58. The lever 66 is mounted upon a pivot pin 59 extending from a stationary part of the machine (not shown) and effects an influence opposite that of the contraction force of the helical spring 70 which is stronger than required to counteract the weight of the yoke 59, upper platform 52 and other elements of the device pivoted on the studs 65 and G 1.

At the time of the arrangement of the reforming device 2| at operative relation to the mount 1, the jaws 48, 45, 53' and 54 are at the vertical elevation of an intermediate portion of the leadingin wires 8 and 9 as the support platform 52, which is slidable upon the columns 5! and 58, is then supported by a leg N (Fig. 5) extending from the back portion thereof to the top surface of the yoke 59. The jaws 48, 49, 53 and 54 are also spaced horizontally from the leading-in wires 8 and 5, at that time, as the slides 50, 5|, 55, and 55, respectively, of which they are a part are at retracted positions in the support platform 52 because of the presence of thick upper end portions of respective cam rods l2, l3, l4, and i5 behind a roller '35 bridging an opening in the back part of each slide.

The next operation of the device 2| advances the wire bending jaws 48 and 49 end foremost to positions behind the leading-in wires 8 and 9 and result from movements of the slides 50 and 51 when an upward movement of the cam rods 12 and i3 advances cutaway portions 12 and i3, respectively, thereof of less thickness behind the rollers 16. The contraction force of springs ll located within pockets in the slides 59 and 5| behind depending tongues 18 on cover plates '19 and 80, at that time pushes said slides 55 and 5! forward to the extent allowed by the change in the shape of the portions of the cam rods l2 and '53 presented to the rollers 16. The jaws 48 and 49 are finally correctly positioned when the stop screws 8! on the ends of the slide 50 and 5! butt against the edge of the upper platform 52 so as to terminate the movement. All cam rods 12, i3 and '14, are moved correspondingly during the described interval in that they are all mounted upon a lower platform 82 upon the columns 51 and 58 and take the vertical movement of said platform 82 along the columns 5'! and 58. However, the cam rods 14 and 15 do not cause motion in the slides 55 and 56 and the wire clamping jaws 53 and 54 in that they are so shaped that uniformly shaped portions thereof pass behind the rollers IE on said slides 55 and 56. The upward movement of the lower platform 92 continues without interruption and next in order causes the jaws 53 and 54 to advance and clamp the ends of the leading-in wires 8 and 9 against jaws 49 and 49, the operation being effected by the advance of cutaway portions 83 (Fig. of less thickness behind the rollers 16 on the slides and 59. The jaws 53 and 54 are influenced in their movement by springs located within pockets therein and bearing against a tongue (not shown) extending downward from the cover plates 85 which hold the slides 55 and 55 in the ways of the platform 52. In instances when the mount I or the leading-in wires 8 and 9 are not present, the movement of the jaws 53 and 54 is limited by the engagement of stop screws 94 on the outer ends of the slides 55 and 59 with the edge of the upper platform 52.

The jaw movements resulting from the upward travel of the lower platform 92 along the columns 57 and 58 is under the control of actuating means located below the table 4 as the elevation of said platform 82 is established by a rod 81 extending therebetween. As shown in Fig. 13, the rod 81 is connected to one end of a lever 88 (corresponding to lever 89) on the pivot pin 90 of stationary bracket 9| and is influenced by the engagement of a roller (not shown) on the opposite end thereof with a groove in one face of the cam 92.

During the advance of the clamping jaws 53' and 54 toward the leading-in wires 9 and 9, a certain rebending and repositioning of said wires 8 and 9 occurs as the end of the jaws 53 and 55 engage the said wires 8 and 9, as shown in Fig. 6, while still some distance from the jaws t8 and 49. The rebending of the leading-in wires 8 and 9 occurs when the jaws 53 and 54 force said wires 8 and 9 toward the jaws 48 and 49 and thereby shove the end of said wires 8 and 9 furtherdownward between the coacting faces of the jaws 58, 53 and 49, 54 so that bends are made in said wires 8 and 9 midway along their length at points adjacent the upper surface of said jaws. The notched end of a stationary finger 93 (Figs. 4, 6, and '7), which is located over the clamping jaws 53 and 5t, prevents the midportion of the wires 8 and 9 from bowing upward during the closing movement of the jaws 53 and 54 and cooperates with the notched guides 94 on said jaws 53 and 54 in keeping the leading-in wires 9 and 9 properly aligned. When the jaws 53 and 54 finally press the leading-in wires 8 and 9 against the jaws 98 and 49, the bend at 95 in the end portions of said wires 8 and 9 is completely straightened out and said wires 8 and 9 are gripped as in Fig. '7. The ends of the leading-in wires 8 and 9 at such times extend below the jaws 48 and 49 and are at a position considerably closer to the axis of the mount than formerly.

The next operation of the leading-in wire reforming device 2| is an upward movement of all four jaws 45, 59, 53 and 54 created by a corresponding movement of the upper platform 52 and rebends the leading-in wires 8 and 9 so that the ends thereof holding the filament I4 are placed directly opposite the button in the end of the arbor I9. During the aforesaid bending operation the leading-in wires 8 and 9 bend adjacent the arbor I 9 and at intermediate points just above the jaws 48 and 49 so that they then have a form known as loop-back construction. The upper platform 52 is moved vertically by a rod 95 extending to operating means located below the table 5 and is moved sufficiently to complete the tion of the intermediate support wire 12.

desired rearrangement of the leading-in wires 8 and 9 when its motion is interrupted by the stop collar 97 on the upper end of the column 58. During the above motion of the upper platform 52, the jaws 49, 49, 53, and 54 continue to maintain their relative relation in that the rollers I6 move over portions of the cam rods I2, 13, I4, and 15 of uniform shape. The operating means connected to the upper platform 52 by the rod 95 effects motion therein on the basis of variations in the position of the portion of the track 99 in the face of the cam 92 engaged by the roller 99 on one end of the lever 89, which lever 89 is connected to said rod 96 through the resilient coupling I50. The excess motion occurring in the lever 89 after the platform seats against the collar 9'! is absorbed in the compression of a helical spring IIJI of the coupling I09 and in separate motion of the rod I02 carrying it into the body I59 thereof. The rod I92 is slidable longitudinally in the body I93 of the coupling to the extent allowed by a laterally projecting pin H14 in a longitudinal slot in saidbody I93 and is constantly under the influence of the spring IIlI which bears against the nuts I55 on rod I52 and the end of the said body I03.

Upon completion of the rebending and repositioning of the leading-in wires 8 and 9, the device 2| separates therefrom and returns to the initial operative position. The clamping jaws '53 and 54 retract first when the return downward movement in the lower platform 82 occurs and are followed in their motion by the retraction of the bending jaws 48 and 49 as said lower platform 82 progresses in the downward movement. Finally, the upper platform 52 is moved down to arrange the jaws 48, 49, 53, and 55 at their initial elevation and the device 2| is rocked backward about the pivot pins 59 and SI to a position clear of the mount I and the path of travel taken in its subsequent advance.

The next station taken by the mount I is work station D where the final reduction in the spread of the filament mount is effected by the reformaihe index of the turret 3 accounting for the advance of the mount I occurs when the support wire reforming'device 22 (Figs. 8 and 9) at this station and almost completely covered by the turret 3 is tipped back from the path of the travel of the mount I and is followed immediately by a positioning movement of said device 22 which carries it to an upright position and operative relation to said mount I. The support wire reforming device 22 corresponds to the leading-in wire reforming device 2| at'station C in having the essential wire working elements thereof mounted upon an upper platform I9! which is slidable vertically upon two upstanding columns I58 and 599 held by a yoke H5 and in causing said elements to be moved to and from operative relation to the mount 5 by a rocking motion of the yokesupported assembly about the pins III and N2 (the latter only partially shown) in opposite extremities of the stationary bracket II3. The iOCliiIlg movement of the device 22 is under the control of actuating means located below the table d and engaging the lower end of the column 559 which extends through an opening in said table 9. The controlling element of this particular actuating means is the cam I M. on the main cam shaft 5. The contraction force of a spring IE5 connected between an extension M5 on the end of column H39 anda post projecting from the lower surface of the table 5 counterbalances the tendency of the weight of elements mounted upon the yoke lie to tilt and applies a turning moment to the lever I I? through the link H8 to cause the roller I89 on one end of said lever ill to seat on the cam i I4. Variations in the periphcry of the cam II l turn the lever iI'I about a pin Hid carried by a bracket I2I on the stationary frame (not shown).

The operative position of the reforming device is marked by the arrangement of the clamping jaw 5222 (Figs. 9 and 10) on one end of the slide 523 at a position directly opposite, and in front of, an intermediate portion of the support wire i2 and by the arrangement of a second bending an anvil jaw I2 3 on one end of the lever tilt at a position closer to the plane of the mount 2 than said intermediate portion of said support wire 62 (i. e., behind the said wire I2). Both the clamping and bending jaws I22 and I22, respectively, are independently movable members having initial positions determined respectively by the longitudinal arrangement of the slide I23 within ways in a carriage I26 and the pivoted position of the lever I on pin I2? projecting from said carriage 52E), and are under the control of the vertical cam rods I28 and 529 which bear against rollers Hie and HI, respectively, on the adjacent ends of the slide 523 and the lever I25, respectively. The cycle of operation of the reforming device 22 is advanced by a lateral movement of the bending jaw I24 to a position under the arch of the support wire I2 and is caused by the upward movement of a lower platform I32 supporting the cam rods I23 and 529 and pre sently advancing a cutaway portion (corresponding to that shown as I28 on rod I28, Fig. 8) of the cam rod I 29 into engagement with the roller iSi on the lever I25. The motion of the jaw I2 1 and, accordingly, the lever I25 results from the constant pressure of a plunger I33, which is slid l able longitudinally within an upstanding boss of the carriage I25, against the forward end of said lever 525 whereby the roller I3I is caused to bear against the cam rod I29 and swing about the pivot pin I2'I when a differently shaped portion of said cam rod I29 is engaged thereby. The force transmitted by the plunger I33 is the straightening force of a leaf spring I35 having one end bearing against the outer end thereof and having the opposite end attached to an adjacent portion of the carriage I26. Although the cam rod its is moved correspondingly to cam rod are, no other operation of the support reforming device 22 occurs during the immediately described motion of the lower platform I32 as at that time a uniformly shaped portion of the cam rod 528 passes behind the roller I30 on the slide 23. The next operation of the support wire reforming device 22 brings the clamping jaw I22 against the support wire I2 with sufficient pressure to force it into engagement with the bending jaw and to clamp it in place thereagainst as shown in Fig. 11. A notched guide I on the lower edge of the jaw I22 gathers in the support wire I2 and prevents it from slipping sideward out of position during the forward motion of said jaw I22 which is initiated by further upward movement of the lower platform I32 and the cam rod At that time, a change in the shape of the cam rod I23 passes behind th roller i3il on the slide I23 supporting the jaw I22 and the oppositely acting expansion force of a spring I35 located in a pocket in the slide I23 and butting against a depending tongue (not shown) on the cover plate I3? over slide I23 and lever I25 causes said slide I23 to advance. The upward motion of the lower platform I32 is under the control of operating means located below the device 22 and connected to said platform I32 by a rod I33 extending through an opening in the table 4% and is produced by movement of a lever I35 about the pivot pin I28 in accord with the advance of a differently positioned portion of a track lid in the face of cam HlI into engagement with a roller I42 on said lever I39.

Following the rebending and clamping or gripping of the support wire i2 between the jaws E22 and 22 as shown in Fig. 11, an upward movement of both jaws I22 and 52% occurs which carries them to the position shown in Fig. 12 and by so doing wraps the intermediate portion of the support wire I2 over the top of bending jaw 22s and relocates the looped end thereof holding the filament Id at a position opposite the end of the glass arbor It. The present upward motion of the jaws I22 and ms is produced by corresponding motion of the upper platform iii? along the columns I98 and I25; and continues in the latter until it is seated against the stop collar M3 on the column I99. At some intermediate time, however, the adjoining portion of the support wire I2 becomes taut and interrupts the motion of the jaws I22 and I24 whereupon the continuing motion of the platform it'll is absorbed in a tilt of the carriage 526 about the pivot pin-s hid in the back portion thereof. The forward edge of the carriage 526 is normally held at a raised position above the platform it? as shown in Fig. 3 by the frictional engagement of a block M5 within a horizontal passage in the boss M23 on the forward edge of said platform with a post It? extending downward from the foreward edge of the carriage MB. When the support wire i2 is pulled taut, however, the resistance of the jaws I22 and I24 to upward motion is such that the post I I! is slid along the face of the friction block Hi5. A helical spring Hi8 and the adjusting screw Hi9 which are located behind the friction block I45 allow the pressure of engagement between said block M5 and the post I l? to be set so that a definite tautness is created in the support wire I2 to set the bend therein and yet avoid damage to said support wire I2 and arbor Ill.

The upward movement of the carriage iii? bending the support wire I2, and the relative positions taken by the carriage it'l are under the control of actuating means located below the table 2 and connected thereto through the rod Itiii. As shown in Fig. 13, the rod I59 is con nected through the coupling IE! to a lever it? corresponding to the adjacent operating lever 89 and is influenced vertically by movement of the lever I52 about the pivot pin I53 on the stationary bracket I54 in accord with the advance of differently positioned portions of a track (not shown) on the far side of the cam l ll into engagement with a roller (also not shown) on the opposite end of the lever I52. The excess movement of the lever I52 occurring after the upper platform Ill! seats against the stop collar Hi3 forces the push rod 55 attached to said lever I52 up into the body I56 of the coupling Ifii and is absorbed in compressing the helical spring I57 located around the lower end portion of the push rod I55 between said body Hi8 and nuts on said push rod I55. A cross pin its within the upper end of the push rod I55 and slots in the body I56 prevents the expansion force of the spring I51 from pulling the push rod I55 comthe operative cycle.

The above-described support wire bending and setting functions of the-reforming device 22 complete the operative functions effecting the support wire l2 and are followed by separation movements of the bending and clamping jaws l22 and I25 and a backward tipping movement of the device 22 about the pivot pins Ill and l l2 to clear all parts of said device from the mount l. A return downward movement of the lower plat form l32 under the control of the operating means causes the bending and clamping jaws 22 and I24 to be withdrawn from engagement with the support wire [2 without disturbing the position thereof. The tipping movement of the device which follows is also under the control of the operating means and removes all portions of said device from the path taken by the mount i in the immediately occurring indexing movement thereof carrying it to another work station. At that time, the reforming device 22 has still to prepare for the succeeding cycle of operation by bringing the jaws l2? and 12d to their initial height.

The first part of the relocation of the jaws 522 and i24 occurs immediately and is effected by a lowering movement of the upper platform it? which positions it at the proper height on the columns l 98 and N59. The support carriage lit for the jaws H22 and l2 l is still at the lowered position close to the top surface of the upper platform H33 and must'be raised to its initially taken position. This latter operation completes.

the rearrangement of the jaws H2 and lz l but does not occur until the reforming device 22 has tilted forward in the succeeding cycle of operation. The carriage I25 is raised to its initial position above the upper platform is? by the actuation of reset means lbll (Figs. 1 and 9) permanently located before the reforming device 22 and is accurately controlled'to avoid unneces-- sary pull upon the support wire l2 during the reformation thereof. The reset means pushes the carriage I25 upward by raising the arm liii into engagement with the head of the bolt m2 on the lower end of the post Ml and then pushsaid bolt H52 and post it! upward the required amount to displace said carriage 26. Control over the movement lies in operating means for the rod E63 supporting the arm ldl and a stop nut ltd on an upstanding post ltd extending rom the support standard I53 which not let is engaged by an ear is? on the arm lfil. The actuating means is located belowthe table 4 and moves the push rod lfit vertically within bearings in the support standard Hill in accord with the movement of the cam actuated lever its to which it is connected by the coupling ltd, rod its and a yoke lid. The lever l3 has greater movement than required to raise the push rod E53 sufiiciontly to carry. the arm l6! against the stop nut its and causes the yoke ill: to slide upward along rod i592 and to compress the spring ill located between it and the fixed collar llg onthe rod E59 at the limit of motion. At other times, a fixed collar l'lt on the lower end of the rod it? prevents the expansion force of the spring ill from changing the relation of the yoke ill} and said rod ltd. Inasmuch as it is very desirable to know and check with considerable accuracy the amount of upward displacement of the jaws is attached to a pivot pin I16 in an extending "bearing l'l'l of the standard IE6 is only displaced when the upward movement of the arm ltl nears the limit of its motion and carries the second car I78 thereof against the laterally extending portion llS of the pointer ill. The motion resulting in the pointer ll l turns it in a clockwise direction against the bias of the contraction force of a helical spring ltll extending between posts in the standard H56 and the portion H9 of the pointer I14 and moves it suniciently to show a relative displacement with respect to markings on the scale H5. Normally, it is desirable to cause the indicating means comprising the pointer lit to be inoperative at other times so that the ear l'lll of arm ltl does not constantly strike against the portion l'i9 of pointer lit; and, accordingly, facilities are provided in a thumb nut l'8l threaded onto the end of the pivot pin l'lt for frictionally clamping said pointer ill to the face of the bearing lll at an inoperative position.

Although a preferred embodiment of our invention has been disclosed, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown, but that they may be widely modified within the spirit and scope of our invention as defined by the appended claims.

We have shown and particularly described certain embodiments of our invention and cer tain methods of operation embraced therein for the purpose of explaining its principle and showing its application. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that man modifications are possible without departing from our invention, and we aim, in the appended claims to cover all such modifications and variations as fall within the true scope of our invention.

The'method of manufacturing a mount as disclosedherein is not claimed in the instant case but is separately claimed'in our divisional application Serial No. 295,463, filed June 25, 1952.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for making electric lamp mounts comprised of a stem, leading-in and sup port wires spreading from the stem to spaced positions in a transverse plane adjacent one end thereof and a generally 'U-shaped filament located within said plane and attached to the free end portions of said leading-in and-support wires, the combination of a carrier having thereon a plurality ofheads for holding the mounts and advancing them with the filament lowermost to work stations, a wire reforming device located at a work station adjacent said carrier and coin prising a horizontally arranged bending jaw movable upward against'and beyond the position occupied by an intermediate portion of said one of the wires with the jaw surface extending laterally of the wire to cause said wire to bend adjacent the stem and be repositioned, and said reforming device also including a clamping jaw movable laterally against the opposite side of an end portion of the 'wirefrom the bending jaw to cause said'interrnediate portion to bend around the bending jaw, and the end portion and the portion of the filament held thereby to be relocated nearer' thestem, means for moving said jaws as aforesaid, and means for operating the device intimed relation to the movements of the carrier and the advance of the stem to the aforesaid station.

2. In a machine for making electric lamp mounts comprised of a stem, leading-in and support wires spreading from the stem to spaced positions in a transverse plane adjacent one end thereof and a generally U-shaped filament lo- 'cated within said plane and attached to the free end portions of said leading-in and support wires, the combination of a carrier having thereon a plurality of heads for holding the mounts and ad- 'vancing them with the filament lowermost to work stations, a wire reforming device located at a work station adjacent said turret and comprising vertically movable jaw support means positioned opposite and intermediate portion of the leading-in and support wires, a pair of jaws movable laterally across the support means to extend laterally of and in gripping engagement with opposite sides of one of the wires, means for actuating said jaws as aforesaid, and means for moving the support means upward to cause the wire to be bent, and the end portion thereof and the portion of the filament held thereby to be relocated nearer the stem, and means for operating the device in timed relation to the movements of the carrier and the advance of the stem to the aforesaid station.

3. In a machine for making electric lamp mounts comprised of a stem, leading-in and support wires spreading from the stem to spaced positions in a transverse plane adjacent one end thereof and a filament located within said plane and attached to the free end portions of said leading-in and support wires, the combination of a carrier having thereon a plurality of heads for holdin the mounts and advancing them with the filament lowermost to work stations, a wire reforming device located at a work station adjacent said carrier and comprising vertically movable jaw support means positioned opposite an intermediate portion of the leading-in and support wires, a pair of jaws, one slidable and the other pivoted for movement laterally across the support means to extend laterally across and in gripping engagement with opposite sides of one of the wires, jaw operating means comprising vertical cam rods varying in size lengthwise and engaging portions of the jaws, and means for moving the cam rods vertically to cause differently formed portions thereof to engage the jaws and cause them to grip the wire, and means for thereafter moving the support means upward to cause the jaws to bend the wire and relocate the end portion thereof and the portion of the filament held thereby nearer the stem, and means for operating the device in timed relation to the movements of the carrier and the advance of the stem to the aforesaid station.

4. In a machine for making electric lamp iounts comprised of a stem, leading-in and support wires spreading from the stem to spaced positions in a transverse plane adjacent one end thereof and a filament located within said plane and attached to the free end portions of said leading-in and support wires, the combination of carrier having thereon a plurality of heads for holding the mounts and advancing them with the filament lowermost to work stations, a wire reforming device located at a work station adjacent said said carrier and comprising vertically movable jaw support means positioned opposite an intermediate portion of the leading-in and support wires, a bending jaw movable across the support means to a position laterally across and behind one of the wires, a clamping jaw movable across the support means and against the opposite side of the Wire to clamp said wire against the bending jaw and bend it to conform thereto, means for actuating said jaws as aforesaid, a finger mounted on the support means and extending to a position over the clamping jaw to block the upward movement of the wire from between the jaws, and means for movin the sup port means upward to cause the jaws to bend the wire and relocate the end portion thereof and the portion of the filament held thereby nearer the stem, and means for operating the device in timed relation to the movements of the carrier and the advance of the stem to the aforesaid station.

5, In a machine for making electric lamp mounts comprised of a stem, leading-in and support wires spreading from the stem to spaced positions in a transverse plane adjacent one end thereof and a filament located within said plane and attached to the free end portions of said leading-in and support wires, the combination of a carrier having thereon a plurality of heads for holding the mounts and advancing them with the filament lowermost to Work stations, a wire reforming device located at a work station adjacent said carrier and comprising, a pair of jaws movable into positions across and in engagement with opposite sides of an intermediate portion of one of the wires to cause said portion to be gripped therebetween, means for actuating said jaws as aforesaid, upwardly movable support for the jaws, and means for raising the support means under controlled pressure to cause the jaws to carry the intermediate portion of the wire upward until the immediately adjoining portion adjacent the stem becomes taut so as to relocate the end portion of said wire and the portion of the filament held thereby nearer the stem, and means for operating the device in timed relation to the movements of the carrier and the advance of the stem to the aforesaid station.

6. In a machine for making electric lamp mounts comprised of a stem, leading-in and support wires spreading from the stem to spaced positions in a transverse plane adjacent one end thereof and a filament located within said plane and attached to the free end portions of said leading-in and support wires, the combination of a carrier having thereon a plurality of for holding the mounts and advancing them with the filament lowermost to work stations, a wire reforming device located at a work station adjacent said carrier and comprising a pair of jaws movable into positions across and in engagement with opposite sides of an intermediate portion of one of the wires to cause said portions to be gripped therebetween, means for moving the jaws as aforesaid, support means for the jaws con prising a vertically movable platform, a carriage pivoted for vertical movement upon the platform about a horizontal axis at a position remote from the wire gripping portions of the jaws holding said wire, and friction controlled means engaging the portion of the carriage near the gripping portions of the jaws and the platform for supporting the former in relation to the latter, and means for raising the support means to cause the jaws to carry the intermediate portion of the wire upward so as to relocate the end portion thereof and the portion held thereby, the motion being interrupted when the adjoining portion of said wire becomes taut and the carriage turns about the pivot against the resistance of the friction controlled means, and means for operating the device in timed relation to the movements of the 17 carrier and the advance of the stem to the aforesaid station.

7. In a machine for making electri-c lamp mounts comprised of a stem, leading-in and support wires spreading from the stem to spaced positions in a transverse plane adjacent one end thereof and a filament located within said plane and attached to the free end portions of said leading-in and support wires, the combination of a carrier having thereon a plurality of heads for holding the mounts and advancing them with the filament lowermost to work stations, a wire reforming device located at a work station adj acent said carrier and comprising, a pair of jaws movable into positions across and in engagement with opposite sides of an intermediate portion of one of the wires to cause said portion to be gripped therebetween, means for moving the jaws as aforesaid, support means for the jaws comprising a vertically movable platform, a carriage supporting said jaws and pivoted for vertical movement upon the platform about a horizontal axis at a position remote from the wire gripping portions of the jaws, and friction controlled means engaging the portion of the carriage near the gripping portions of the jaws and the platform for supporting the former in relation to the latter, and means for raising the support means to cause the jaws to carry the intermediate portion of the wire upward so as to relocate the end portion thereof and the portion held thereby, the motion being interrupted when the adjoining portion of said wire becomes taut and the carriage turns about the pivot against the resistance of the friction controlled means, reset means for pushing the carriage to the initially taken position above the platform during the succeeding operating interval, and means for operating the device in timed relation to the movements of the carrier and the advance of the stem to the aforesaid station.

8. In a machine for making electric lamp mounts comprising a stem having leading-in and support wires radiating outwardly therefrom and attached at their free ends to a filament lying substantially in a plane transverse to the axis of said stem, the combination of a movable carrier having thereon a plurality of heads for holding the mounts vertically and with the filaments lowermost and for carrying the mounts to successive work stations, and a reforming device at one of said stations adjacent the path of movement of said heads and comprising support means, an anvil jaw and a clamping jaw movably mounted on said support means, means for moving said. anvil jaw to a position transversely across and behind an intermediate portion of one of said wires, means for carrying said clamping jaw toward said anvil to clamp said portion of the wire between said jaws, means for moving said support means and jaws upwardly in unison a distance suincient to carry the jaws beyond the point of emergence of said wire from its associated stem to bend the wire about both said anvil jaw and the stem, and means for actuating said re-forming device in synchronism with the movement of said carrier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,540,537 Burrows June 2, 1925 1,816,683 Ledig July 28, 1931 1,821,894 Otaka Sept. 1, 1931 1,907,532 Flaws May 9, 1933 2,085,578 Flaws June 29, 1937 2,208,970 Geiger July 23, 1940 2,297,950 Flaws Oct. 6, 1942 2,380,742 Flaws July 31, 1945 2,425,090 Eitel Aug. 5, 1947 2,575,771 Russell Nov. 20, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 233,124 Germany July 21, 1910 680,887 Germany Aug. 24, 1939 

